Functional microorganisms in the spotlight
EcoBiznet, situated in the Bio Complex in Chuncheon Bioindustry Foundation, is a Small and medium-sized promising venture company that started out as a corporation which became independent from Doosan Group in 2000. In the beginning, the company mainly focused on consulting, but with the establishment of a R&D institute in 2006, it has remained committed to developing business models.
Aiming to promote a clean environment and healthy life, the company is striving to grow into a bio-environment company endowed with the world's highest competitiveness through vigorous R&D activity related to environmental and biotechnology technology.
The young EcoBizNet remains committed to relentless challenges and realization of ‘bigger dreams’ in order to be among the global leading companies with the environment business and bio business as the new growth engines. The Korea Post interviewed EcoBizNet CEO Jeong-sub Cho to hear about his ambitions and vision. The interview is as follows:
Q: Could you discuss about details of CellAct?
A: A compound word of CELL (microbial) and ACT (activation), CellAct means the selecting (SELECT) of microorganisms that customers need. It is a differentiated brand that represents the features of microbial culture system (bacterial, medium, and culture medium). Even consumers who do not have knowledge of microbial mixing can cultivate the functional microorganisms they want by following them step by step through the touch screen, just as they use washing machines at home
The fermenter has a price as low as a fifth compared to professional products sold in the same industry. Moreover, it is an eco-friendly fermenter that can save more than 60% of energy and cooling water compared to other fermenters by fusion of heat sterilization method and UV sterilization method.
We directly search and select excellent strains for agriculture, livestock, marine farming, and environmental improvement, and provide consumers with high-concentration culture technology and optimal culture medium, species and culture medium manufacturing technology. For the rational application of microorganisms, comprehensive solutions are available to allow consumers to directly select, culture and use microorganisms which is applicable to each environment.
Q: What do you think is the biggest competitive advantage for EcoBizNet?
A: EcoBizNet's biggest competitive edge is our talented people and their teamwork. Since 2006, our company has established and implemented individual training programs every year in order to enhance the capabilities of the employees. Executives and employees of the company lay out a target management system to conduct monthly management evaluation meetings to implement annual business plans. Each employee lay out detailed implementation plans to achieve KPIs and practices them every day.
It took about five years to put this system in place, and the company's revenue has grown significantly. Due to these efforts, EcoBizNet has been recognized as a small and medium-sized company that fosters talent and a youth-friendly firm. (wage, work and life balance, and employment stability)
CEO Cho said: “Our biggest competitive advantage involves a platform model for microbial business based on microbial technology. Where functional microorganisms are needed in agriculture, fisheries, livestock, and environment around the world, it is a business model that allows consumers or microbial businesses to have our microbial culture system like a coffee franchise, and to easily cultivate and use or sell microbial products. We develop and supply intelligent fermenter and various microbial culture sets so that necessary functional microorganisms can be easily cultivated and utilized in the field.
EcoBizNet has eight highly educated employees with a master's degree or higher. Seven of them are lab researchers and three of them are currently working on doctoral programs, including those who specialize in bioengineering, microbiology, environmental engineering, and botany. The research institute will push for development of functional microbes needed for eco-friendly agriculture or environmental cleanup so that they can be commercialized. Efforts will also be stepped up to realize remote services at all times.
Future Strategy
EcoBizNet is now proud to have prepared for domestic and foreign market exploration.
It plans to increase sales of 4 billion won this year, and aims to achieve 20 billion sales and 25% of business profit in 2022.
CEO Jeong-sub Cho said EcoBizNet aims to grow into a global bio-environmental company based on the business model of the self-cultivation system.
The goal of EcoBizNet is to establish a virtuous circle R&D system to make the company a hidden champion outside the field of bioenvironment. The competent talent and their outstanding teamwork are by far our best corporate competitive advantage. The company will be relocated to the Namchuncheon Industrial Complex in 2021 equipped with strong corporate competitive power based on a platform model for microbial businesses.
Especially since 2018 EcoBizNet received great response from overseas market such as US, New Zealand, China, Vietnam, Thailand, India, and etc. In the future, it will leap forward to become a global small company and aim to be listed on the KOSDAQ in 2023.
Profile of CEO Jeong-sub Cho
Academic background :
- Majored in Yonsei University food engineering
- Master's degree in Biotechnology at Yonsei University
- Completed the PH.D course in biotechnology in Kangwon National University
Career :
- Researcher, Doosan Group R&D Institute and Doosan Environmental Center (1992~2000)
- Awarded IR52 Jang Yeong-sil Award (1995)
- Technical commercialization expert qualification (2013, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology Promotion)
- Verification expert on greenhouse gas reduction (2011, Korea Energy Management Corporation)
- Vice President, the Foundation of Agir, Tech. Commercialization & Transfer’s Agricultural Equipment and Materials Export Council
- Chairman, Gangwon ASTI, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information
- Chairman, the Gangwon IP Management Club
- Evaluation Committee member of the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology Evaluation and Management
- Head, the Industrialization Subcommittee of the Advisory Council on the Development of Microbiological Support Center for Agricultural and Rural Use
- Won the 22nd Gangwon Small and Medium Business Incentive Award
homepage : http://www.ecobiznet.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m7OnvBpss0&t=5s
E-mail : info@ecobiznet.com